What is sepsis?

Sepsis is caused by the way the body responds to an infection. The infection can occur anywhere, from chest or urinary infections, or problems in the abdomen like appendicitis, or even simple skin injuries like cuts and bites. 

It is a life-threatening condition which makes the immune system go into overdrive as it tries to fight the infection. This can reduce the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys, eventually leading to multiple organ failure and possibly death.

Signs and symptoms

Sepsis can be hard to spot. It can initially look like flu or a chest infection. Symptoms can appear different in babies and young children from those of adults and older children. View first aid advice for sepsis in adults and older children.

In babies and young children, look for:

• A temperature of more than 38C in a baby under 3 months, or more than 39C aged 3-6 months
• Not feeding
• Vomiting repeatedly
• Passing no urine over the past 12 hours
• Skin is mottled, discoloured, blue, or pale
• Has a ‘fit’, or seizure
• Severe breathlessness or breathing rapidly
• Not responding or handling as they normally do
• The child being lethargic and/or hard to wake
• Feels abnormally cold to touch.

They may not have all these symptoms.